What are the risks of small incision facelift? Are they less than a traditional facelift?
Often, traditional facelifts are featured on The Learning Channel, or the Discovery Channel, which show massive dissection and removal of skin and very “deep” facial surgery. The face is completely wrapped in bandages for weeks, and drains are often used. For many patients, this is no longer necessary to obtain excellent results. Many of the more progressive cosmetic facial surgeons have all but abandoned the traditional facelift, since comparable results are possible without such invasive surgery. All surgery has some risk. In a small incision facelift, the risks are reduced for multiple reasons. Anesthesia is less severe, allowing a faster recovery time and less risk. Smaller incisions are made, and tissue dissection is less. Because of this, injury to surrounding structures in much less likely. In any cosmetic surgery, the most “desirable” complication (no complication is desirable) is that the surgeon performs slightly less surgery than might be planned, in a safe and controlled ma
